GKA is currently supporting Solent Academies Trust to develop and implement a comprehensive People Strategy that aligns with the Trust’s growth trajectory and evolving workforce needs. With five existing special schools and two further schools due to open by 2028, the Trust identified the need to strengthen its approach to workforce planning, staff development, and organisational culture. GKA was commissioned in 2024 to gather feedback from all Trust staff and to work closely with the executive team to co-design a strategy that supports the recruitment, retention, and development of a high-quality, collaborative and values-driven workforce across all schools.
Since the project commenced in 2024, GKA has:
- Conducted stakeholder engagement sessions with staff across all five existing schools, the Trust central team and Governors and Trustees to capture views on current strengths and challenges relating to people, culture, and workforce development.
- Facilitated strategic workshops with the Trust’s executive leadership and HR leads to define core priorities for the People Strategy.
- Reviewed existing HR policies, CPD frameworks, workforce data and anonymous staff survey results to identify opportunities for alignment and improvement.
- Mapped workforce trends and challenges specific to specialist education, including recruitment pipelines and retention risks.
- Co-developed a Trust-wide 3-year People Strategy structured around key themes such as talent attraction, wellbeing, leadership development, equity and inclusion, and succession planning.
- Produced an implementation roadmap with clear milestones, defined responsibilities, and performance indicators to support effective delivery, communications and ongoing evaluation of the strategy.
GKA continues to act as a strategic partner to the Trust, providing additional capacity during the planning and delivery phase of the strategy, and aligning people priorities with the Trust’s wider organisational goals.
Impact:
- Informed and unified workforce strategy: Through extensive staff engagement and collaboration with the leadership team, the People Strategy has provided a clear, unified approach to managing the Trust’s growing workforce, aligning HR practices with the Trust’s strategic objectives.
- Enhanced staff satisfaction and retention: Early initiatives aimed at improving staff wellbeing, professional development, and career progression have led to improved morale and engagement across the Trust. Early feedback suggests a stronger sense of belonging and purpose within the workforce.
- Long-term strategic alignment: The Trust now has a robust and scalable People Strategy in place, supporting its expansion plans while ensuring that the culture and values of the Trust remain at the forefront as it grows.